Political Wisdom: Stimulus Tests Republicans’ Clout

Here’s a summary of the smartest new political analysis on the Web:
by Sara Murray

President-elect Obama’s stimulus package will be an indication of how much clout Republicans still have, writes Washingtonpost.com’s Ben Pershing. “The GOP’s influence over the upcoming stimulus bill rests on two thin reeds. The first is the one or two Republican senators — depending on the still-unresolved outcome of the Franken-Coleman race in Minnesota — who prevent Democrats from having a filibuster-proof majority in the chamber. The second is Democrats’ unwillingness to push a massive, budget-busting bill through Congress without the cover of at least nominal GOP support. On the latter point, Democrats made soothing noises Monday about ‘cooperation’ with the minority, but will that cooperation last longer than a week or so if Republicans aren’t rushing to sign off on a deal? Democrats could then just seek to pick off a few GOP moderates in the Senate, but will the majority be willing to move such a massive, budget-busting bill on such a partisan basis?”

Politico’s Andy Barr looks at whether RNC Chairman candidate Chip Saltsman actually helped himself out by including “Barack the Magic Negro” on the holiday CD he sent out. In fact, some RNC members are saying Saltsman’s opponents Saul Anuzis (Michigan GOP Chair) and Mike Duncan (current RNC Chair) actually hurt their chances by criticizing Saltsman. “A source close to the race said that at least 12 uncommitted committee members have contacted (former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell – another RNC chair candidate) to thank him for his support for Saltsman and have expressed anger toward Duncan and Anuzis ‘for throwing a good Republican under the bus.’ Indeed, in a fluid race in which six candidates are vying for the votes of 168 members, both Blackwell and Saltsman stand to benefit from a backlash to the flap. Most observers expect Duncan to lead after the first ballot, but few expect he or any other candidate will be able to secure election on a first ballot. For either Saltsman or Blackwell to win election they will likely need the votes of the other’s supporters to break in their direction, along with any other committee members who are not enamored of Duncan’s leadership. In calls to committee members in recent days, both Saltsman and Blackwell have been reminding Republicans of how both Duncan and Anuzis reacted to the story.”

Obama has said that the “notion of shared benefits and burdens is something that I think has been lost for too long”…”and it’s something that I’d like to see restored.” National Journal’s Ronald Brownstein cites that quote then points out, “That’s a stirring sentiment. But it will be credible only if Obama applies it as forcefully to Democratic constituencies as to those usually aligned with the GOP. Nothing will be more valuable to Obama, as he tries to steer the nation through troubled waters, than proving he believes allies and opponents alike must grab an oar.”

One example: universal health care. “Obama blinked at mandating responsibility for individuals by refusing to require that all uninsured Americans purchase coverage. If Obama holds to it, that position could undermine his plan. Substantively, it means individuals could wait until they were sick to buy insurance, confident that the guaranteed issue rule would require insurers to sell to them; insurers would then raise premiums on everyone else to guard against that risk. Resisting a mandate would also greatly complicate the politics, ensuring fierce opposition from a health insurance industry that has signaled it would otherwise accept a guaranteed issue requirement if all Americans were required to buy insurance. Obama can make historic progress toward fulfilling his party’s decades-old dream of universal health coverage. But, as in so many of his crucial choices, the key will be asking all Americans to share the burdens as well as the benefits.”

Comments (5 of 5)

As Mr Spock (from classic Star Trek) would say:- "...fascinating..."
It seems that CORRUPTION, DECEIVING,FRAUD,and others no so elegant practices , all of the sudden are OK!
Imagine that!
WOW! and now - and as result of that - Gov Blagojevich makes his latest move.
I was expecting this.It is interesting how the dynamics go. From one part the governor - deep in CORRUPTION- still in power (nobody wants him there)- yet the 'staus-quo' remains.
On the other hand there are someones that are trying heavily to substantiate and excuse HIS WRONG AND QUESTIONABLE PRACTICES so CORRUPTIONS SEEMS OK, no matters what.
Where are we going to go with this?,....simple:- we a are going to go to the destruction of our nation: values , and perspectives are going already down the hill.
But then again this might be only a phase( I CERTAINLY DO HOPE SO) and soon after the 'Obama-wave' and the CHICAGO CORRUPTED POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE from where Obama is a product, will eventually dissipate, then a set of decent and caring leaders should come to hold the helm of our beloved country.
In the mean time we need to be ALERT TO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING , or otherwise there will be nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING LEFT FOR OUR CHILDREN.

AAAHHH!!! this should 'stimulate' the minds of the audience,....(providing there is a gray-matter inside the skulls and no cotton, or water or ground beef or air or a black-hole,..he-eh-eh,,,,whatever)
AAAHHH the irony of the times!
All democrats spent (and will continue to do so)hours and energy to blame Pres Bush for every thing that went out of expectations for the last eight years.
Truth is those democrats are able(for they are alive)to do so because during eight years this country was safe under this president, and so everyone still alive to blame him for absolutely everything so called ‘wrong’.
You know he is so brave that he never was afraid to become unpopular since he knew exactly what to do to keep this beloved land safe. Pres Bush is indeed a patriot of high latitud. He never claimed to have all the answers but he did what was needed to keep us alive
And once again, for the records, it was THE BLASTED ALMOST FULLY DEOMOCRAT CONGRESS WHO BURNED DOWN OUR ECONOMY!
EAT THAT!

Another thing :- if Pres Bush was so bad then Obama is taking his place for ‘MORE OF THE SAME’,…oh! yes!,…only this new guy is a socialist and with his ideas of nationalization of the private asset, along his background of CHICAGO-STYLE-CORRUPTED POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE this beloved country is profiling not so good future.
Well , let alone that his goofy cabinet of ‘MORE OF THE SAME FROM CLINTON ADMINISTRATION CARBON COPY’ is there to really nail what is left of our money, and all with the help of his buddies (crooks and thieves Fannie-Freddie and other weeds)
People DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH GOOD FORM THIS POINT ON, ok?
You wanted Obama?,…well, EAT OBAMA NOW!
Happy Holidays! HO_HO_HO

In addition:

It seems there is a problem about if Caroline Kennedy is apt or not to work as senator.
This is very curious,...many members from her own Democratic Party do not find her quite experienced or seasoned for the task.

However, they endorse, support, promote, almost worship, and elect Obama, who is a big ZERO in experience and views , totally not able to take the helm of the country. Yet, there he is!

These democrats deserve their own sitcom on TV, they are so funny ( and PHONY as well) that their power to make America laugh is at the higest magnitud.

Obama!,...for-cry-out-loud,...NO EXPERIENCE, TWISTED NOTIONS ABOUT HOW TO KEEP OUR COUNTRY SAFE ( if ever intended to keep it safe,...acually, a TROJAN HORSE FACTOR for the destruction of the country - a full-metal jacket socialist). A guy with a background of interesting past ( I do not have to tell you nothing about it , right? for sufice is to say that is HE IS product of the CHICAGO CORRUPTED POLITICAL MACHINE WITH ALL THE WORKS!) So take it from there.

And so , here is the thing :- after vote for Obama and with 'special factors' like : FRAUD,EXTORTION,DECEPTIONS, ILLEGAL FUNDING TO BUY ELECTIONS,...etc, and others goodies,...these COCOZOIDS DEMOCRATS ELECT HIM FOR PRESIDENCY !,...this people have the nerve to say that Ms Kennedy is not apt to be a senator?

Well, after all this, I think that anyone, ABSOLUTELY ANYONE can be president in our country.

Well, if this is going to continue stretching?,...then anyone born on Planet Earth can become president of any country.
So, Arnold Schwarzenegger could very well be president of USA and then!,.....TA-DAAAA! 'THE TERMINATOR' might end the CORRUPTION that bring to us things like CHICAGO-CORRUPTED POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE from where Obama comes from!

I bet this does not fit well to the Obama supporters,...buth then,...there is that.

Sincerely,
Daniel Cabrera
Merrillville, Indiana

4:41 pm December 30, 2008

susan wrote :

Of course they will 'lapse back'. What else and who else, more to the point have the Reps got. No ideas, that's for sure and a lot of racist comments. So far , they're not batting 20 let alone 100.

1:02 pm December 30, 2008

matt wrote :

It’ll be interesting to watch where the GOP leadership draws the line on obstructionism in the new Congress a d in working with the new administration. Will they simply lapse into the same tendencies that they slammed the minority Dems for back in the GOP heyday?

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